Europe is struggling to deal with an enormous influx of refugees and migrants, mostly from Syria but also from Iraq and other countries, fleeing violence and poverty.

“The millions who are fleeing their homes, that’s not just about Daesh,” said Gen Allen, using an Arabic name for IS.

“It’s also about the conditions in the region, the horrendous conditions that are a direct result of Bashar al-Assad and several years of the civil war.”

‘Heart-wrenching scenes’

Asked if he felt responsible for those fleeing to Europe, he said: “I feel that we can help them. We have worked very hard to help in the humanitarian crisis in that region.”

“We’ve got to solve the conflict though. The conflict has got to be solved at a political level and a global level.”

“We are going to see that the manifestation of that conflict will play out in a number of ways – right now it is playing out in this heart-wrenching vision of the people who are streaming out of the region.”

Gen Allen described IS as a “manifestation of an absence of hope for so many people”.

French army Rafale fighter taking off from base in Gulf for Syria reconnaissance mission.

France is among the coalition countries flying missions over Syria

“This instability has been created by Bashar al-Assad and that regime. He ultimately chose to make war on his own people. That ultimately created the crisis that we face today.

“So it’s not just about dealing with Daesh, it’s about creating the conditions that can put us on track for a political diplomatic solution as well.”

He added: “Bashar al-Assad has got to go. He is both a point and a representation of what has caused so much instability in the region and so many people to want to fight, to fight him and to fight each other.”

He said IS was being pushed back on several fronts and progress had also been made on a political level in Iraq.

Destruction in in Daraa city, Syria.

Four years of conflict have left some Syrian cities in ruins

“Where we are today compared to where we were a year ago is pretty dramatically different,” he said.

“In the context of just governance alone in Iraq we are dealing with a real partner in Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi. He’s come a very long way in the year that he’s been prime minister, farther certainly than he predecessor.”

Last September, US President Barack Obama announced the formation of a broad international coalition to combat IS, which has seized large swathes of Syria and Iraq.

Despite the coalition’s efforts, militants have made gains in some areas, including at Ramadi in Iraq and at Palmyra in Syria.

Iraq’s government promised to retake Ramadi back in May, but so far it has only managed to encircle the city.

However, Kurdish forces have forced IS back to a frontline about 50km (30 miles) from the city of Raqqa – the group’s de facto capital in Syria.

Security forces in Egypt have mistakenly killed 12 people, including Mexican tourists, during an anti-terror operation, the interior ministry says.

The tourists were travelling in four vehicles that entered a restricted zone in the Wahat area of the Western Desert, the ministry said. Sources said eight of those killed were Mexicans.

Ten Mexicans and Egyptians were also injured.

Egypt has been battling Islamist militants for years.

Attacks on army and police, mainly in the Sinai peninsula, have escalated since Islamist President Mohammed Morsi was ousted in 2013.

Egypt’s interior ministry said the four vehicles the tourists were travelling in were “mistakenly dealt with” during a joint military police and armed forces operation.

It said the incident happened on Sunday in an area that “was off limits to foreign tourists”, but it did not give an exact location.

Survivors said they suffered an “aerial attack” after stopping for a meal, according to Mexican Foreign Minister Claudia Ruiz Massieu. She could only confirm that two Mexican nationals had been killed.

Mexico’s President Enrique Pena Nieto condemned the incident and demanded an “exhaustive” investigation by Egypt.

Analysis: Frank Gardner, BBC Security Correspondent

The disastrous shooting up by Egyptian security forces of a tourist convoy in the Western Desert is yet another sign of growing instability in the Arab world’s most populous country.

Egypt’s western oases are spectacularly beautiful, hence their popularity with adventure tourists.

But since the Arab Spring upheavals of 2011, security along Egypt’s border with Libya has deteriorated as the Islamist insurgency has grown across the country. Vast stretches of both the Sinai Peninsula and the Western Desert are now too dangerous for Westerners to visit.

Last month IS militants beheaded a Croatian engineer they had kidnapped not far from Cairo. Now the possibility of being mistakenly shot at by the authorities, as well as being kidnapped by militants, will further damage Egypt’s much depleted tourism revenues.

‘Mistakenly dealt with’

Egyptian officials say the tourists were in a no-go zone – and had not liaised with the authorities.

But a local tour guide has denied that, saying the group was in an unrestricted area, on top of sand dunes, trying to get a bird’s eye view.

Another local source – who claims to have spoken to a driver who survived the incident – told the BBC the tourists even had a police escort.

He said the safari was organised by a local hotel which co-ordinated with the security forces.

File picture of desert safari driver building a small fire to make mint tea before sunset during a trek through the Great Sand Sea outside the Egyptian oasis of SiwaImage

The vast Western Desert area is popular with tourists

According to the interior ministry’s statement, the security forces were pursuing Islamic militants in the desert, and targeted the four vehicles which were away from the main road with an Apache helicopter, which shot and hit the four vehicles.

The vast Western Desert area is popular with foreign sightseers, but is also attractive to militants, reports the BBC’s Orla Guerin in Cairo.

The area – which borders Libya – is a gateway to the long border and weapons are available on the other side, our correspondent adds.

On Sunday, the Islamic State group (IS) claimed it had “resisted a military operation” in the desert.

A group claiming to be affiliated with IS also said on Sunday that it was present in Farafra.

The insurgency in Egypt gathered momentum after the army overthrew President Mohammed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood in 2013 following protests against his rule.

Hundreds of police and soldiers have been killed, many of them in attacks claimed by IS’s Sinai Province affiliate.

Until recently most of the fighting has taken place in the Sinai Peninsula with occasional attacks taking place in Cairo and other cities.

In July, Egypt vowed to rid the peninsula of militants after clashes with IS fighters there killed more than 100 people.

In this Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013 photo, Theresa Vail, Miss Kansas, takes part in the swimsuit competition during the first night of the Miss America Pageant at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, N.J. Vail isn't looking to shock the nation at the 2014 pageant, but she is trying to empower women to overcome stereotypes and break barriers, she wrote on her blog. Vail, who is competing as Miss Kansas in the 93rd edition of the pageant, announced in the blog post that she will have her two tattoos visibly exposed during the competition. She is believed to be the first contestant in the history of the pageant to do so.

In this Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013 photo, Theresa Vail, Miss Kansas, takes part in the swimsuit competition during the first night of the Miss America Pageant at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, N.J. Vail isn't looking to shock the nation at the 2014 pageant, but she is trying to empower women to overcome stereotypes and break barriers, she wrote on her blog. Vail, who is competing as Miss Kansas in the 93rd edition of the pageant, announced in the blog post that she will have her two tattoos visibly exposed during the competition. She is believed to be the first contestant in the history of the pageant to do so.

(CNN)Better late than never.
Actress and singer Vanessa Williams returned to the Miss America stage Sunday night, three decades after she became the first black woman to win the crown but resigned following a nude photo scandal.
Now, after all these years, the Miss America CEO apologized to Williams on stage Sunday at the Miss America 2016 pageant for the way the scandal was handled.

“I have been a close friend to this beautiful and talented lady for 32 years,” CEO Sam Haskell told Williams. “You have lived your life in grace and dignity, and never was it more evident than during the events of 1984 when you resigned.
“Though none of us currently in the organization were involved then, on behalf of today’s organization, I want to apologize to you and to your mother, Miss Helen Williams,” Haskell said, as Williams’ eyes filled with tears. “I want to apologize for anything that was said or done that made you feel any less than the Miss America you are and the Miss America you always will be.”

pkg one armed beauty queen crowned_00002817.jpg

Miss Iowa is missing one key feature

In this Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013 photo, Theresa Vail, Miss Kansas, takes part in the swimsuit competition during the first night of the Miss America Pageant at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, N.J. Vail isn't looking to shock the nation at the 2014 pageant, but she is trying to empower women to overcome stereotypes and break barriers, she wrote on her blog. Vail, who is competing as Miss Kansas in the 93rd edition of the pageant, announced in the blog post that she will have her two tattoos visibly exposed during the competition. She is believed to be the first contestant in the history of the pageant to do so.

In this Tuesday Sept. 10, 2013 photo, Theresa Vail, Miss Kansas, takes part in the swimsuit competition during the first night of the Miss America Pageant at Boardwalk Hall, in Atlantic City, N.J. Vail isn't looking to shock the nation at the 2014 pageant, but she is trying to empower women to overcome stereotypes and break barriers, she wrote on her blog. Vail, who is competing as Miss Kansas in the 93rd edition of the pageant, announced in the blog post that she will have her two tattoos visibly exposed during the competition. She is believed to be the first contestant in the history of the pageant to do so.

(CNN)Better late than never.
Actress and singer Vanessa Williams returned to the Miss America stage Sunday night, three decades after she became the first black woman to win the crown but resigned following a nude photo scandal.
Now, after all these years, the Miss America CEO apologized to Williams on stage Sunday at the Miss America 2016 pageant for the way the scandal was handled.
“I have been a close friend to this beautiful and talented lady for 32 years,” CEO Sam Haskell told Williams. “You have lived your life in grace and dignity, and never was it more evident than during the events of 1984 when you resigned.
“Though none of us currently in the organization were involved then, on behalf of today’s organization, I want to apologize to you and to your mother, Miss Helen Williams,” Haskell said, as Williams’ eyes filled with tears. “I want to apologize for anything that was said or done that made you feel any less than the Miss America you are and the Miss America you always will be.”

The audience — as well as the contestants on stage — erupted with applause after the apology.
Williams won the crown in 1983 and had the title for 10 months, until Penthouse magazine published nude photos of Williams that were taken before her reign.

Even though Williams resigned, many at the time said the Miss America Organization pressured or forced her to give up her title.

After Haskell’s apology, Williams went back to her judge’s seat and helped select the new Miss America.
That title now belongs to 21-year-old Betty Cantrell of Georgia. The Mercer University student performed the operatic song “Tu Tu Piccolo Iddio” during the talent portion of her competition. She will tour the country promoting her platform, “Healthy Children, Strong America.”

Malema ejected from South Africa’s parliament for calling deputy president ‘murderer’

Julius Malema, leader of the leftist Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party, was thrown out of the South African parliament on Wednesday after he called Deputy President Cyril Ramaphosa a “murderer”.

Malema, clad in his party’s trade-mark red overalls, was ejected from the chamber after he refused to withdraw his comments, saying “I will never apologize to Cyril”.

Malema and his party accuse Ramaphosa of having a hand in the 2012 killing of 34 striking miners who were gunned down by police near the Marikana mine operated by platinum producer Lonmin.

Ramaphosa was a director at Lonmin at the time and was cleared by a nearly three-year inquiry into what became known as the “Marikana massacre”.

House chairwoman Mmatlala Grace Boroto ruled that Malema’s remarks were derogatory and asked him to leave.

Malema refused, prompting her to call the Seargant at Arms to remove him, causing a brief scuffle around the EFF benches as Malema was pulled away by security guards.

Ten other people were killed in Marikana violence, including two police officers who were hacked to death.

The shootings led to intense public and media criticism towards the police, mining companies, unions and the ruling African National Congress.

Malema, who previously headed the youth league of the ruling African National Congress, has disrupted parliament before.

He and members of his party were removed by force after disrupting President Jacob Zuma’s annual address in February.

At the time, Malema was demanding to be allowed to ask the president about when he would repay part of a $23 million state-funded security upgrade of his rural home. Zuma denies any wrongdoing.

South Africa’s usually calm parliament has been shaken-up by the EFF winning 25 seats in last year’s election. EFF members sport red overalls and hard hats in the chamber in a symbol of their solidarity the working classes.

Our final meeting here in Lusaka, Zambia, came to a climax as the crowd grew from 150,000 from one night to 250,000 the next! I mention these numbers because they say something about the dynamics in the city. This can only happen when Jesus is touching people in dramatic ways. They are talking about it everywhere and the nation is buzzing!

Not only did the hundreds of thousands on the field hear the gospel through the week, but Radio Christian Voice broadcast the meetings live all across the country. The gospel was heard in Kitwe, Livingstone, Ndola, Solwezi and beyond!

Testimonies have been flooding in of people’s lives touched in so many different ways, like this one from a man named James:

“I have never felt closer to God than this. After attending the crusade for three days and when Evangelist Daniel Kolenda taught about people and the gift of the Holy Spirit being for them and their children as prophesied by Joel, the following happened to me: I spoke in strange tongues. I’ve never experienced this before because I spoke a foreign language fluently … .”

Here’s another testimony by a man named Musonda: “My faith is at a different level thanks to you, feel like preaching the gospel to whoever I meet … I experienced God’s love at a whole new level. I feel He is much closer than before.”

Leya said, “Thank God I was there and got baptized in the Holy Spirit. I experienced the presence of the Holy Spirit like never before. It was an amazing experience. To God be the glory!”

Sunday, after I preached the gospel, I asked evangelist Scott Lee to pray for the sick and we heard wonderful testimonies of healing. A woman with an issue of blood for 10 years was healed. A crippled man got out of his wheelchair. Many people with different kinds of pain were healed. A man with HIV AIDS received prayer earlier in the week and went to the doctor for another test. Tonight he brought two test results—one from earlier that said, “HIV POSITIVE” and one from after prayer that said, “HIV NEGATIVE.”

The Lord has surely heard and answered our prayers. Zambia will never be the same again. I’m heading back to Orlando where we are holding our School of Evangelism all week. We are already looking forward to being back in Africa in a few weeks—this time in Blantyre, Malawi.

THE Uganda-based East Africa Book of Records Company yesterday awarded President Jakaya Kikwete with excellence awards for his contribution in peace building in Africa and Tanzania’s success in maintaining its own peace and stability since independence.

In the event that was attended by top government officials, including Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Bernard Membe, Chief Secretary Ambassador Ombeni Sefue, Attorney General George Masaju and some heads of diplomatic missions in Tanzania, President Kikwete was recommended for his inspirational contribution in enhancing democracy in the region.

“He did a great job solving political instabilities that occurred in Kenya, Comoro and Burundi. We are inspired as it shows his commitments in building peace and harmony not only to Tanzania but also to the nearby countries in east Africa and Africa at large,” said Dr Paul Bamutazi, the company’s Chief Executive.

The company awarded two awards, one for the president and the other for Tanzania as a country. Dr Bamutazi said Tanzania has set its own record of being the most peaceful country in East Africa as it has managed to cut-off all sorts of conflicts since independence hence being a role model for democratic issues to other countries in the region.

“We are glad to present these outstanding awards to Tanzania through President Kikwete who has been in charge of all issues undertaken in Tanzania, especially in maintaining peace and democracy,” he observed.

After receiving the awards, Mr Kikwete dedicated them to all Tanzanians for their total support to him during his tenure. “These awards should belong to Tanzanians, I humbly accept and receive on behalf of people of Tanzania,” said Mr Kikwete, adding that it was not so easy to meet the current achievements as the country has also been passing through some difficulties.

He noted, however, that through cooperation with other officials and conflicting parties, they managed to sort out the problems and move on in building the nation. According to him, dialogue and discussion remain best methods in solving problems to promote and maintain political stability.

Other reasons that led to Tanzania being awarded include its clear policies and agenda in building democracy, providing quality delivery of social services such as health, education and supporting innovations at all levels.

Meanwhile, President Kikwete has said that women in the country have special interest in the forthcoming general election as for the first time; Tanzania is in a position to get its first ever female vice-president.

Mr Kikwete, who is also National CCM Chairman, made the statement in Morogoro recently while talking to regional and district secretaries for CCM’s women wing, UWT, in the sessions that were also attended by the party’s Union presidential candidate, Dr John Magufuli.

He said women deserved to have permanent interest with absolute privileges in the October 25 election as they are in a position to determine peace and stability of the country.

“The appointment of a woman running mate in this year’s general election is valid evidence that women’s challenges are going to be solved accordingly. It is not accidental as it has been our policy to empower women,’’ Mr Kikwete remarked.